Apparatus for receiving interchangeable grooming units

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for receiving operationally powering units interchangeable grooming units. The apparatus comprising a casing, a motor, attachment means for allowing the grooming units to be releasably attached to the casing and mounting means for allowing the grooming units to be driven by the motor. The mounting means comprise a shaft with an end portion having a protrusion located eccentrically on the end portion. The mounting means are adapted to enable the grooming units with accordingly adapted receiving means to carry out a rotational movement and/or a linear movement without gear arrangements in the receiving means of the grooming unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of PCT International PatentApplication No. PCT/IB2004/003023, filed Sep. 6, 2004, in theInternational Bureau, the disclosures of which are incorporated hereinby reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for receivinginterchangeable grooming units e.g. epilation means and depilation meansfor removing body hair.

2. Description of the Related Art

Commonly, apparatus for the removal of body hairs are either providedwith an epilating cylinder for plucking body hair or alternatively witha depilation means for cutting body hair.

Said means for removing hair are normally adapted to be driven by a geararrangement wherein a depilating means executes a reciprocating motionin alternate directions relative to an inner cutter and wherein anepilating means such as an epilating cylinder executes rotary movement.

Further in the prior art apparatuses for removing body hair are known inwhich the function of epilating and of depilating hair from the skin ofa user are provided in a single apparatus.

For example U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,129 discloses a dual ended hair removerwherein epilating and depilating heads are provided at opposite ends ofsaid hair remover. Said hair remover comprises a motor and a geararrangement which cause a shaving element to move reciprocating inalternating directions relative to a fixed element and rotates anepilating cylinder simultaneously with the shaving element while eitherthe depilating head or the epilating head is covered by a handle.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,804 an appliance for the removal of body hair isdisclosed which is adapted to receive a first attachment incorporatingan epilating cylinder or alternatively a second attachment incorporatinga long hair trimmer. The attachment incorporating the long hair trimmerincludes a blade or an outer cutter adapted to be driven by a geararrangement and performing an oscillating motion relative to an innercutter. The gear arrangement includes a crown gear which is adapted tobe driven by a driving gear and which meshes with a pinion provided withan eccentrically arranged engaging means coupled to the blade. In casethe epilation head is attached to the hair remover the epilatingcylinder is coupled to the driving gear and with the motor turned onrotates about its longitudinal axis or also oscillates.

Said hair removers as described in the prior art have the disadvantagethat they have a complicated structure which requires additional space.Further the hair removers are expensive in manufacturing. Moreover, theyare neither intended nor suitable to carry out other operations thanremoving body hair by epilation or depilation.

Further, the grooming units of the prior art have the disadvantage thatthey are either fixedly secured to a hair removal device and/or comprisea complicated structure which requires additional space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatuswhich can be manufactured at low costs and which can be provided with aplurality of different grooming units without requiring additionalspace. This object is achieved by the features of the claim 1 and itsdependent claims.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a grooming unitwhich can be easily attached to an apparatus according to the inventionand which has a simple structure. This object is achieved by thefeatures of independent claims 12, 18 and 22 and their dependent claims.

According to the invention an apparatus is provided which is adapted toreceive interchangeable grooming units. Said apparatus comprises acasing and a motor and further attachment means to allow a grooming unitto be releasable attached to the casing. The apparatus further comprisesmounting means which allow the grooming units to be driven by the motorand which comprise a shaft with an end portion having a protrusionlocated eccentrically on the end portion. The mounting means are adaptedto enable the grooming unit with accordingly adapted receiving means tocarry out a rotational movement and/or a linear movement without thenecessity of providing gear arrangements in the receiving means of thegrooming unit.

Since no gear arrangements are necessary to enable the grooming unitsand their accordingly adapted receiving means to carry out differentmovements, an apparatus can be provided which can be used for differentoperations such as epilating and depilating body hair or cutting nosehairs, sharpening nails or peeling operations. Further, the apparatushas a simple structure and is space saving. Moreover, the apparatus canbe manufactured at low costs.

According to the invention, grooming units are provided which have asimple structure and can be easily attached to an apparatus. This hasthe advantage that the grooming units can be easily exchanged and do notrequire additional space.

Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forthin part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obviousfrom the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent and more readily appreciated from the following description ofthe embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

FIG. 1A is plan view of a part of a conventional hair remover comprisingat one end a depilation means;

FIG. 1B is a plan view of the apparatus according to FIG. 1A wherein theapparatus is provided with a cutting device at the other end;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an apparatus according to an embodiment ofthe invention, wherein the apparatus is provided with a shaving means asa grooming unit;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a further embodiment of the apparatusaccording to the invention, wherein the apparatus is provided with anepilation cylinder as a grooming unit; and

FIGS. 4A-4C are sectional views A-A of FIGS. 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elementsthroughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain thepresent invention by referring to the figures.

In FIG. 1A a conventional hair remover is disclosed, which comprises anepilating cylinder 60 which is connected to a gear arrangement 62. Thegear arrangement 62 comprises a rotary gear 64 which is affixed to oneend of an axle 66 of a motor 68. A rotary gear 70 is permanently engagedwith the rotary gear 64 and has its axis of rotation parallel to that ofthe rotary gear 64 and has teeth 72 extending from the surface of therotary gear 70 facing away from the motor 68. A rotary gear 74 ispositioned at a right angle to the rotary gears 64, 70 and permanentlyengages with the teeth 72 of the rotary gear 70. A rotary gear 76 isaffixed to an end of an axle 78 of an epilating head 80. Grippers 82 areformed at the periphery of the epilating head 80. When the axle 66 isdriven by the motor 68, the rotary gear 64 is rotated, thereby rotatingthe rotary gear 70 and the teeth 72. The rotation of the teeth 72 causesthe rotary gear 74 to rotate. Further the rotation of the rotary gear 76causes the axle 78 of the epilating cylinder 60 to rotate, therebycausing grippers 82 of the epilating cylinder to 60 open and close, soas to pluck hairs from a skin of the user.

In FIG. 1B the hair remover is provided with a second axle 84 on theother end which is simultaneously driven by the motor 68 and whichcauses a shaving element 86 of a depilating head to reciprocate back andforth relative to a fixed element 88. The reciprocating of the shavingelement 86 causes the hair extending from the surface of the skin of auser between the shaving element and the fixed element to be cut.

In contrast thereto, FIGS. 2 and 3 disclose different embodiments of anapparatus according to the invention. The apparatus as disclosed in thefigures are provided with different grooming units 10 according to theinvention.

The apparatus as disclosed in FIG. 2 comprises a casing 2 in which amotor 4 is arranged. The motor is fed in the present embodiment from twobatteries 6 which can be regular or rechargeable. As a furtheralternative the motor can be provided with at least one adaptor.

Further, an attachment means 8 is provided which is adapted so that agrooming unit 10 can be releasable attached thereto. As can be derivedfrom FIG. 2, the attachment means 8 can comprise a recess 30 oralternatively an opening which is adapted to receive a protrusion 34 ofa unit attachment means 32 of the grooming unit 10.

The apparatus 1 further comprises a mounting means 12 which can beconnected with a shaft 24 of the motor 4, so that the rotation of theshaft 24 can transmit a rotational movement to the mounting means 12.

As is shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, there are a plurality ofpossibilities to connect the shaft 24 with a recess 22 of a shaft 14 ofthe mounting means 12. In FIG. 4A the shaft 24 comprises a polygonalportion which is adapted to fit in a corresponding polygonal portion ofthe recess 22. Further, in FIG. 4B the shaft 24 can be provided with atleast one protrusion 28 and the recess 22 with a corresponding groove 26in which the protrusion can be inserted. Furthermore, in FIG. 4C theshaft 24 is provided with a groove 26 and a protrusion 28 to be attachedto the recess 22 of the mounting means 12 comprising a correspondingprotrusion and a corresponding groove. Another possibility is to providethe shaft 24 and the recess 22 with a thread. It is obvious for a manskilled in the art there are many different possibilities known in theart to connect the shaft and the mounting means so that the rotationalmovement of the shaft 24 can be transmitted to the mounting means 12.The present invention is not limited to the possibilities as shown inFIGS. 4A-4C.

The shaft 14 of the mounting means 12 comprises a protrusion 18 at itsend portion 16. The protrusion 18 is located preferably eccentrically onthe end portion 16. In this case, a rotation of the shaft 24 of themotor 4 can transmit a rotational movement to the protrusion 18. Sincethe protrusion 18 is located eccentrically on the end portion 16 theprotrusion 18 can execute a linear movement respectively movereciprocating in alternating directions.

Thus a grooming unit 10 can be either connected with the protrusion 18of the mounting means 12 (see FIG. 2) so that a linear movement can betransmitted to the grooming unit 10 or can be connected with the shaft14 of the mounting means 12 (see FIG. 3) so that a rotational movementcan be transmitted to the grooming unit 10. This has the advantage thata plurality of different grooming units 10 carrying out a linear and/ora rotational movement can be releasably attached to the mounting means.

In FIG. 2 a depilating means 40 is provided as a grooming unit 10. Saiddepilating means 40 comprises an outer cutter and a fixed cutter,wherein the outer cutter is adapted to perform a reciprocating motion inalternate directions relative to the fixed cutter. The cutting meansfurther comprises a supporting structure which is adapted to engage withthe protrusion 18 of the mounting means 12. Thus, when the protrusion 18located eccentrically on the end portion 16 of the mounting means 12rotates it results in a reciprocating motion of the supporting structureand the outer cutter of the cutting device.

Body hairs that have entered a space between the teeth of the outercutter and the teeth of the inner cutter are then cut off by the linearoscillating motion of the outer cutter.

On the other hand the depilating means disclosed in FIG. 2 can beexchanged by an epilating means as disclosed in FIG. 3 which shows analternative grooming unit 10.

The grooming unit 10 comprises an epilating cylinder 44 for pluckinghair and a gear arrangement 46 for driving the epilating cylinder 44.

Further, the grooming unit 10 comprises a unit attachment means 32 whichis adapted to matingly fit with the attachment means 8 of the apparatus1. As shown in FIG. 3, the unit attachment means 32 comprises aprotrusion 34 which can be releasably attached to a corresponding recess30 of the attachment means 8.

Furthermore, the grooming unit 10 is provided with receiving means 20which allow the grooming unit 10 to be driven by the apparatus 1. Thereceiving means 20 comprises a recess 38 for receiving the shaft 14 ofthe mounting means 12, wherein the receiving means 20 and the mountingmeans 12 are adapted, so that a rotational movement of the mountingmeans 12 can be transmitted to the receiving means 20. Since thereceiving means 20 is also associated with the epilation means, thecircular motion of the receiving means 32 can drive a gear arrangement46 of the epilating means thereby enabling the grooming unit 10 to pluckhair.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in this embodiment without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined inthe claims and their equivalents.

1. An apparatus for receiving operationally powering interchangeablegrooming units, the apparatus comprising: a casing releasably attachingto any one of the grooming units, a motor, attachment means for allowingthe grooming units to be releasably attached to the casing; and mountingmeans for allowing the grooming units to be driven by the motor, themounting means comprising a shaft having a substantially cylindricalside surface and a substantially circular end surface, the end surfacehaving a protrusion extending radially outward from the end surface anda groove located diametrically opposite the protrusion; the shaft isinserted into a recess of the mounting means; wherein the mounting meanshas a complementary cylindrical shape to that of the shaft; wherein therecess of the mounting means comprises a slot extending therethrough formating with the protrusion of the shaft and a diametrically opposedprotrusion for mating with the groove of the shaft; wherein the mountingmeans are adapted to enable the grooming units with accordingly adaptedreceiving means to carry out a rotational movement and a linear movementin the receiving means of the grooming unit, without gear arrangementsin the mounting means, and wherein the mounting means are disposed inthe casing and are used to mount any one of the grooming unitsreleasably attached to the casing.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim1, wherein the shaft of the mounting means is provided with a recess forreceiving a shaft of the motor and wherein the recess and the shaft ofthe motor are adapted to be connected, so that a rotational movement ofthe motor can be transmitted to the mounting means.
 3. The apparatus asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the shaft of the motor comprises a polygonalportion which is adapted to fit in a corresponding polygonal portion ofthe recess, so that the shaft of the motor can transmit a rotationalmovement to the mounting means.
 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2,wherein the recess or the shaft of the motor is provided with at leastone protrusion which can be inserted in a corresponding groove of theshaft of the motor and the recess, respectively.
 5. The apparatus asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the shaft of the motor and the recess areconnected by a screw connection, wherein the recess is provided with aninside thread and the shaft of the motor is provided with acorresponding outside thread.
 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1,wherein the attachment means comprises a recess or an opening to which acorresponding unit attachment means of a grooming unit can be attached.7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the attachment means andunit attachment means are adapted to matingly fit with each other. 8.The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting means areadapted to be connected to a receiving means of a grooming unit totransmit a rotational movement of the motor to the receiving means. 9.The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the shaft of the mountingmeans is adapted to receive the receiving means of the grooming unit, sothat a rotational movement can be transmitted to the mounting meansthereby causing the grooming unit to operate.
 10. The apparatus asclaimed in claim 9, wherein the protrusion located eccentrically of themounting means is adapted to receive the receiving means of a groomingunit, so that a linear movement of the mounting means can be transmittedto the receiving means thereby causing the grooming unit to operate. 11.An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor is fed from atleast one battery which is preferably regular or rechargeable.
 12. Agrooming unit for operational use with the apparatus as claimed in claim1, the grooming unit comprising: unit attachment means for allowing thegrooming unit to be attached to the apparatus, the unit attachment meansadapted to matingly fit with the attachment means of the apparatus; andreceiving means adapted to receive the mounting means of the apparatussuch that the receiving means is driven by the motion transmitted by themounting means of the apparatus thereby causing the grooming unit tooperate.
 13. The grooming unit according to claim 12, wherein the unitattachment means comprises a protrusion which can be releasably attachedto a corresponding recess or opening of the attachment means of theapparatus.
 14. The grooming unit according to claim 12, wherein thereceiving means comprises a recess to receive the protrusion of themounting means, so that a linear movement of the mounting means can betransmitted to the receiving means.
 15. The grooming unit according toclaim 12, wherein the receiving means comprises a recess to receive anouter portion of the shaft of the mounting means so that a rotationalmovement of the mounting means can be transmitted to the receivingmeans.
 16. The grooming unit of claim 12, wherein the grooming unit is anail sharpener.
 17. The grooming unit of claim 12, wherein the groomingunit is a cutter for nose hairs.
 18. A grooming unit for removing bodyhair by depilation, the grooming unit being adapted for operational usewith the apparatus according to claim 1, the grooming unit comprising:unit attachment means matingly fitting with the attachment means of theapparatus; depilation means for cutting body hair; and receiving meansfor allowing the grooming unit to be driven by the apparatus, thereceiving means being associated with the depilation means and with themounting means of the apparatus such that the receiving means canprovide a linear motion in cooperation with the protrusion of themounting means of the apparatus, thereby enabling the depilation meansto cut hair.
 19. The grooming unit according to claim 18, wherein theunit attachment means comprises a protrusion which can be releasablyattached to a corresponding recess or opening of the attachment means ofthe apparatus.
 20. The grooming unit according to claim 18, wherein thereceiving means comprises a recess to receive the protrusion of themounting means, so that a linear movement of the mounting means can betransmitted to the receiving means.
 21. The grooming unit according toclaim 18, wherein the depilation means comprises an outer cutter and afixed cutter, wherein the outer cutter is connected with the receivingmeans, so that a linear movement can be transmitted to the outer cutter.22. A grooming unit for removing body hair by epilation, the groomingunit being adapted for operational use with the apparatus according toclaim 1, the grooming unit comprising: unit attachment means matinglyfitting with the attachment means of the apparatus; epilation meanscomprising an epilating cylinder for plucking hair and a geararrangement for driving the epilating cylinder; and receiving means forallowing the grooming unit to be driven by the apparatus, the receivingmeans being associated with the epilation means and with the mountingmeans of the apparatus such that when the receiving means is driven bythe circular motion transmitted by the end portion of the shaft of themounting means of the apparatus, the gear arrangement of the epilationmeans is driven by the receiving means, thereby enabling the groomingunit to pluck hair.
 23. The grooming unit according to claim 22, whereinthe unit attachment means comprises a protrusion which can be releasablyattached to a corresponding recess or opening of the attachment means ofthe apparatus.
 24. The grooming unit according to claim 22, wherein thereceiving means comprises a recess to receive the shaft of the mountingmeans, wherein the receiving means and the mounting means are adapted,so that a rotational movement of the mounting means can be transmittedto the receiving means.
 25. A grooming kit comprising: the apparatusaccording claim 1; and at least one grooming unit comprising: unitattachment means for allowing the grooming unit to be attached to theapparatus, the unit attachment means adapted to matingly fit with theattachment means of the apparatus; and receiving means adapted toreceive the mounting means of the apparatus such that the receivingmeans is driven by the motion transmitted by the mounting means of theapparatus thereby causing the grooming unit to operate.
 26. A hairremoving apparatus, comprising: a depilation unit, comprising: a shavingunit having blades shaving off hair; a first receiving unit connectingthe depilation unit to a motor to drive the shaving unit to remove hair;an epilation unit, comprising: an epilating cylinder having grippersopening and closing on hair to pluck hair; a second receiving unitconnecting the epilation unit to the motor to drive the epilation unitto remove hair; a gear arrangement connecting the second receiving unitto the epilating cylinder; and a casing, comprising: the motor drivingthe hair removing apparatus; attachment means releasably attachable toboth the depilation unit and the epilation unit; and mounting meansindividually mounting both the epilation unit and the shaving unit tothe casing and individually connecting both the epilation unit and theshaving unit to the motor to transmit motion of the motor to theepilation unit and the shaving unit via a shaft having a substantiallycylindrical side surface and a substantially circular end surface, theend surface having a protrusion extending radially outward from the endsurface and a groove located diametrically opposite the protrusion; theshaft is inserted into a recess of the mounting means; wherein themounting means has a complementary cylindrical shape to that of theshaft; wherein the recess of the mounting means comprises a slotextending therethrough for mating with the protrusion of the shaft and adiametrically opposed protrusion for mating with the groove of theshaft; wherein the shaft is disposed in the mounting means and is usedto mount both the epilation unit and the shaving unit.
 27. The hairremoving apparatus of claim 26, wherein the casing does not include geararrangements translating the motion of the motor to either thedepilation unit or the epilation unit.